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Australia has a new breed of hunting and working dog
– the Black Mouth Cur.
Black Mouth Curs have been around for hundreds of years but they
only made it to our shores in August 2011. Cousins Troy and Baden
Crittle have imported four Black Mouth Curs – three female and one
male, from Southern Texas, USA.
Black Mouth curs are a medium sized athletic dog, they are generally
quite leggy and have a deep chest. The name Black Mouth Cur comes
from the black mask that can extend from the jawline to just under
the eyes, the body is a sandy or yellow colour.
Black Mouth Curs are a very versatile breed and the Crittle fella’s
will be continuing this tradition. Troy’s doges will be used for
hunting pigs around NSW and Baden’s dogs will be used to work
Brahman cattle in QLD.
As a pigdog they are mainly finder bailers but most will hold the
pig with another dog. “Although its early days, the dogs worked
straight from quarantine” Troy said, “our imported dogs are only
young and had been started on cattle in Texas but they bailed the
first pigs that they saw”, he added.
Baden Crittle is based on a property 100km west of Springsure in
central Queensland. Baden said “the Back Mouth Curs took to working
straight away and they will work the lead of a mob very naturally.
What I like most about the Black Mouth Curs is their drive and
keenness, they just love to work”. Baden went on to add “in the
southern parts of the United States where the curs are bred and
worked, it’s very hot and the curs ability to withstand heat is
impressive”.
Black Mouth Curs are a very popular hunting breed in Texas. Some
might say they are the most popular. They have been around for many
years and there are several types and strains. Some curs such as the
Ladner bloodline specialize in small game hunting but are also used
for pig hunting.
The Black Mouth Curs imported by the Crittle boys are based on the
Weatherfords Ben bloodline. This bloodline originated in eastern and
central Texas and goes back to one outstanding dog wall Weatherfords
Ben. Troy Crittle said “we thought long and hard about which
bloodline to invest our time into and in the end we went with the
Weatherfords Ben dogs”.
Of the dogs imported into Australia one male was purchased from
Randy Wright (who owned Weatherfords Ben) in Dryden, Texas and tree
females from David Thoms in Three Rivers, Texas.
Troy again “David Thoms and Randy Wright live and breathe dogs and
we think we were successful in importing some great hound dogs from
them:. Baden Crittle was keen to point out that “Weatherfords Ben
bloodline curs have a reputation for being tough but with brains to
go with it, we are excited about their future in Australia working
both rough cattle and big boars”. Both Troy and Baden Crittle plan
to have Black Mouth Cur pups available to working homes in early
2012.
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